Struggles of the Basket Life: Sickness

As I mentioned yesterday, trying to figure out what drugs are given to us is one of the many skills I have learned as a basketball wife living abroad.  It is just one of the aspects of being sick while living overseas that I find challenging.

This past week I have been fighting some sort of stomach bug and have at times been “out of commission”.  Thankfully, we have a teammate and his wife right next door and she has been more than willing to help when I need the time just to lay down and get myself together.  I do miss our community at home though that is always willing to lend a hand.  And not being able to run to the grocery store for general medicines is another component that is lacking when living abroad.

For me, the toughest part though is when the kids are sick.  The language barrier makes me very hesitant to take them to a doctor.  But then I wonder if I am keeping them from medical help when they really need it.  It seems I am always second guessing myself.  So a couple of things that help me to survive the medical life overseas are:

1. Focusing on preventative medicine. Having the kids (and us) getting plenty of rest, good food, exercise, fresh air and lots of water is even more crucial for me when we are overseas.  Often at the first sign of illness, I may need to increase one of these areas.

2. Having general medical necessities on hand. I always bring over things like probiotics, thermometers, vapor chest rub, tylenol, ibuprofen, cough drops, multi-vitamins, antibiotic cream, band-aids, etc.  For me, it is worth bringing over just so that I don’t have to run out to the pharmacy and try to figure out what everything is in a new language.

3. Keeping a good relationship with doctors back at home. We are very fortunate to have a pediatrician who goes to our church and has always been helpful through e-mail or phone calls when it comes to issues with the kids.  During my pregnancies abroad, my doctor’s office at home has always been very helpful as well.  For me, having the access to our doctors while away is a huge reason for selecting the doctors that we do.

4. Getting general well check-ups while at home. We try and see all of our respective doctors (pediatricians, dentists, eye doctors, dermatologists, etc.) while we are in the States in the summer to establish a good medical history.  I then try and always bring the medical histories of each of us overseas when we travel.

Although adjusting health care from country-to-country is just a small inconvenience, planning ahead and being prepared has helped me to make a smoother adjustment.